This is the moment a fox cub lying on the ground with its head stuck in a discarded plastic jar is rescued by a bighearted animal lover.
The incident took place in the wetlands known as Entorno Meaques Retamares, in the community of Madrid, only four kilometres away from the city centre of the Spanish capital after Luis Velasco, a member of the environment preservation platform of Entorno Meaques Retamares, spotted the fox cub.
Velasco was in the area taking photos of birds when he spotted the fox cub, believed to have been born this year, stuck in the plastic jar.
Velasco told Central European News (CEN): “It was overwhelmed, trying to get out of the jar. As I had the camera I put it in record mode and approached it quietly and I manage to get it free.”
In the video, the fox can be seen lying on the ground with its head in the jar and Velasco begins slowly walking towards it.
He then jumps into action to step on the fox and kick the plastic jar off its head. He manages to do so and the cub runs away after being freed.
Velasco said to CEN: “It was pushing the jar down so there was a small space to get air from the outside. The animal could not smell nor hear and I do not think it could see me because its eyes were inside the jar.
“When I released it, after stepping on the body of the animal a bit without hurting it, the fox got scared, jumped back and got released.”
Velasco had reportedly photographed the same fox cub with its brothers in the area just a week before.
He can be heard saying “damn plastic” in the video and he reportedly recycled the jar after picking it up and he told local media: “People are not aware that nature should be taken care of and you should not leave rubbish, and even less plastic, because it is a danger.”
Velasco believed the cub may have been trying to get something out of the jar or had simply been playing when it became stuck.
The environment preservation platform of Entorno Meaques Retamares are working to try to have the area listed as protected by the authorities due to large biodiversity seen in the wetlands.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
